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The eighth Sadler's Wells Flamenco Festival got off to an intriguing start with a one-off solo recital by Israel Galván. Unplugged is the best way of describing the young dancer who eschews flamenco's all-too-frequent gaudiness and emotional histrionics. Instead he performs a mix of ragged virtuosity, idiosyncratic moves, and almost mime-like gestures that lustily convey flamenco's passions without enacting every one of them.

Indeed, Galván seems to achieve the near impossible feat of embodying flamenco's "duende", or demon, while avoiding its clichés. This is rare, as is his artistic authority and undoubted sensuality. Also rare is his lack of theatrical pomposity.

Perhaps the best thing about Galván, apart from his superb singer (David Lagos) and occasionally jazz-inflected guitarist (Alfredo Lagos), is his reimagining of flamenco moves. Galván embeds in its familiar footwork and gestures unexpected images. He leaps and spins almost balletically, and at times poses like a cockerel, a woman or a swimmer. These visual allusions are so adeptly performed they never feel like novelty add-ons.

Galván's means are a pared-back set, low-key charisma and superb technique - his footwork is as fast and body as supple as any you will see.

He also has an easy vigour, but no obvious athleticism, meaning his 90-minute performance is never less than compelling.